Why are gun shop employees/owners predominately dicks?

[eSC]

I hear all the time about bad experiences people have at local gun shops.. the "salespeople" tend to be rude, condescending know-it-alls. Not all of course, but a great deal of them to be sure. I normally blow it off, well, until today...

It happened yet again, to me.

If I had a f'in dollar for every time I asked about a specific (firearm, holster,ammo, etc), even if it's on their shelf, and was met immediately with: "Oh no, you don't want that, that's a big, heaping POS. What you want is (insert whatever the hell I pull out of my f'in bin, pocket or holster)", I'd have all of those items that I should or should not have considered!

It's not even a premature up-sell, sometimes the "gold" they present is even less expensive that what I'm looking at. It seems seems to me that more often than not, their personal preference supersedes whatever it is that I am looking at/for.

As an enthusiast/collector for often longer than they've been alive, it gets irritating- who in the F is someone, who wants my cash, to immediately tell me that an item, that might be perfect for my collection/use, is not what I want?

It's not their job to assume what I want, it's their job to find out what I want! Amirite?

I wish these were isolated incidences, but it happens all over in Indy and I'm no stranger to retail sales. The only LGS (outside of a big box) that I felt someone wasn't trying to talk me "into" or "out of" a firearm was that wonderful little place in Paoli near our cabin (the name escapes me at the moment).

</rant>

Sorry, don't mean to dump- but am I alone here in this frustration? Anyone else tired of being treated like an idiot rather than a customer?

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[williamsburg]

dis gon b gud

 

[Dirtebiker]

I have never had that happen to me! I believe as soon as it had, I would be on my way out the door!
Are you sure your not exaggerating?

 

[eSC]

I have never had that happen to me! I believe as soon as it had, I would be on my way out the door!

Believe me, I was.

Sad for them. I spend money.



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[HandK]

Just look at them and tell them that you all ready have two of the thing they are pushing so you don't need any more! and then ask to see the item you wanted to see! works every time!!

 

[Dobber]

I frequent one of the Midwest locations up North (and I mean frequent) and there are only three decent guys in there. All the others (no generalizations. ALL the others) are watching the clock, avoiding the counter or running away the first chance they get. Been that way since before the banpanic too. I've had just the opposite problem as you I guess...I couldn't get one of those guys to talk me into a gun if I had a stack of hundreds in my shirt pocket.

-Dobber

 

[ACC]

See Jack Black in High Fidelity High Fidelity (2000) - IMDb

Same 'know it all' rule applies.

 

[gregkl]

Your alone. No one else has anything but flowers and puppy dog experiences at gun shops.

This happens in niche businesses. Gun shops, bicycle shops and others are often owned by passionate people with little business acumen. In turn they hire fellow passionate employees that have little or no customer service skills. The owner doesn't have the ability to train them since they don't know either. The good shops will treat customers well because they understand that it takes a person with several knowledge bases to run a business.

Many of these smaller businesses cannot afford insurance, higher wages, benefits, good hours, etc. This makes it even more difficult to find someone with good customer service skills to accept a job.

 

[eSC]

I've had just the opposite problem as you I guess...I couldn't get one of those guys to talk me into a gun if I had a stack of hundreds in my shirt pocket.

-Dobber

That line made me lol

 

[mbills2223]

I have noticed that it's more prevalent in gun shops than other businesses, but I wouldn't say it's common. I've attributed most of my bad experience at gun shops to being young, not that it's an excuse. They don't help me, or they are rude, I make sure they see the cash I had to buy whatever it was I wanted/needed, and tell them I'll get it elsewhere. Probably doesn't hurt their feelings, but it makes me feel better, and at least they know.

 

[Induz]

I understand what you mean. Ive been to Dons too.

 

[PMPORTER]

I find a salesman that I like and try to purchase all of my firearms from him. In my case it is Richard at Bradis, he is very knowledgeable takes his time to listen and always has good advice. I have left and came back another day just to purchase my firearm from him. So try and find a salesmen you like and you should be fine !

 

[eSC]

Your alone. No one else has anything but flowers and puppy dog experiences at gun shops.

This happens in niche businesses. Gun shops, bicycle shops and others are often owned by passionate people with little business acumen. In turn they hire fellow passionate employees that have little or no customer service skills. The owner doesn't have the ability to train them since they don't know either. The good shops will treat customers well because they understand that it takes a person with several knowledge bases to run a business.

You certainly nailed it there.

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[eSC]

I understand what you mean. Ive been to Dons too.

I feel ya, but it wasn't Don's. Haven't been back there since '92.

Was another long standing Indy shop. I don't really want to pop off names, we've all been around right?

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[radar44]

The D-difficult people are on both sides of the counter . They make for some great stories in the B.S. sessions and keep me going back for more. This place would be boring without some world class D**KS...

 

[eSC]

I find a salesman that I like and try to purchase all of my firearms from him. In my case it is Richard at Bradis, he is very knowledgeable takes his time to listen and always has good advice. I have left and came back another day just to purchase my firearm from him. So try and find a salesmen you like and you should be fine !

I don't know who Richard is but I can tell you that the older gent at II is the nicest guy in the biz I have come across.

Though when I asked about FFL transfers at Bradis I, I was responded to as though I had stepped on his cat.

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[mjblazor]

LGS

My LGS is Blythe's in Valpo and I have never had that experience. But, at Cabelas (Hammond) it happens all the time. Most box store employees don't know $h!# about guns or they are so subjective that they can't give good advice. I go in knowing what I want. I ask questions only to test the employee to see if he / she knows their stuff. When they know more than me, I listen.

 

[DRob]

Dicks

Some gun shop employees are dicks. Some gun shop customers are dicks.

I'd like to point out that you never see gun shop employees on here talking about the dicks they have to deal with.

Look around. If everybody you run into is a dick, maybe it's you and not them.

Just sayin'.

 

[__Doc_]

They own/work at a gun store that automatically means they know more/better than you. If you goto a shop that like, never go back. Spend your money elsewhere. There are plenty of great shops with great people working there.

 

[spqr]

Well, along these same lines, I had an eye-opening experience today! Called a gunshop where I have purchased 20 or so guns over the years (no exaggeration) and an employee I don't know (and I guess he didn't know me) answered and told me that he couldn't be bothered answering my questions (I only asked two yes or no questions), told me to visit the store (I live 45 minutes away), and hung up! I then called the Ingo "gun shop of the year" (where I have purchased exactly 2 guns in the past 10 years) and a salesman I don't know (and I suppose he didn't know me) answered the phone...he was very polite and answered all of my questions! Guess where I am going to drive to look for my next purchase? Can't anyone figure out that people are still willing to pay for customer service in this country?